Las Vegas Excursions: Helicopter Rides To The Grand Canyon’s West Rim

If you are planning to visit Las Vegas, be sure you include a Grand Canyon West Rim helicopter tour. There are three kinds of flights from which to choose, and I’m very sure that there’s a trip that’s just right for you.

The classic air-only ride is your most basic flight. It basically helicopters to the rim, does some awesome fly overs, and returns. You can upgrade this trip to include tickets to the Grand Canyon Skywalk or to land at the bottom of the canyon. Here’s a closer look at each of the these West Rim helicopter tours:

Air Tour

A great introduction to the canyon. Includes a ton of West Rim highlights, including Eagle Point, Guano Point, the Skywalk, and the Colorado River. Upgrade to include a flight over the fabulous Las Vegas Strip on the return. Sunrise and sunset flights are available.

Skywalk Grand Canyon Tour

Land at the new Grand Canyon West airstrip. Enter the Skywalk and be prepared to walk 70 feet past the edge and to be lifted some 4,000 feet above the mighty Colorado River. Enjoy a BBQ lunch. Ride the free shuttle service to all major rim-top sights. Explore a realistic Hualapai Indian Village.

Landing Tour

Canyon carve 4,000 feet downwards to the base of the canyon. Deplane. Toast your descent with Champagne under a real Indian Ramada. Explore the canyon’s ancient floor. Feeling really adventurous? Add a pontoon raft ride down the Colorado river.

Most helicopter tours include free shuttle bus pick up and drop off to all hotels on the Las Vegas Strip. Landing and Skywalk trips are led by professional pilot-guides and include a delicious lunch. Internet prices start at $ 230 per person.

Trips take off year round from the Vegas metropolitan area and fly over Lake Mead, the biggest man-made reservoir in the U.S., Hoover Dam, the brand new Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Bridge, and the majestic Grand Cliffs Wash. I see these extra sights as a huge bonus, especially since helicopters fly at a lower altitude than airplanes and give you a spectacular bird’s eye view of them.

I strongly suggest that you book your Las Vegas helicopter tour in advance. Peak season is spring and summer and low season is winter. Flights are limited, popular, and sell out quickly, especially sunrise and sunset tours. If you are lucky enough to book a flight within 24 hours of your departure, I can assure you that you will pay a premium.

Always get your flights online. Tour operators are very generous with discounts on their websites, some even giving up to 35% off on select packages. I buy all my trips on the Web, and can attest that these sites are secure and safe when processing your credit-card transaction.

Las Vegas canyon helicopter tours deliver loads of fun and adventure. The West Rim is home to the Grand Canyon Skywalk, and it’s the only place where you can land at the bottom of the Grand Canyon and take an optional boat ride down the Colorado River. If you’re looking for a Grand Canyon experience that comes with a huge “wow” factor, book a helicopter flight. It’s an activity that will make this Las Vegas trip magical.

Travel expert Keith Kravitz rates and reviews tours to the Grand Canyon. Here’s his list of the best Grand Canyon Helicopter tours to the West Rim…